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ADHD Causes - Medical

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) symptoms are seen more often now than in previous generations. Diagnosis of the ADD and ADHD has increased so much recently that it is spoken of as an epidemic. Currently over 4-7 million children in the USA are diagnosed with this so-called disorder.

The school system pushes this diagnosis, as ADHD kids with their hyperactive behavior disrupt classes. Then there are added incentives to label children with something as they can get the school benefits through the Federal program, the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), which allocates money to school districts so that they can treat disabled children.

Pushing Schedule II drugs on underage children is the easy way out for schools. The long-term harm done will not be seen by the teachers, who feel relieved that they can get on with their job, without being distracted by those troublesome hyperactive kids.

The foremost researchers in the ADHD field feed this attitude, by assuming for no particular scientific reason that the child who sits quietly in class is “normal,” while the others are suffering from some vague neurological “disorder.” When planning their research they assume this to be a factual truth, and so set up studies accordingly. Their result will naturally fit this narrow-minded worldview.

In science an opinion is not a fact. An idea becomes a hypothesis, which after testing becomes a theory. Most of our facts are really undisproved theories. Serious research tests the paradigm the hypothesis rests on. The “consensus science” group of ADHD researchers has never done this. Their studies assume the unproven paradigm and so will without doubt confirm what they want to confirm.

This is similar to wishing to prove the world currency is the US Dollar. If I travel throughout the United States, and even travel “overseas” to Alaska and Hawaii, I will find the US Dollar as the accepted currency. Unless I test outside my paradigm (the USA) I will never know if I am correct.

These researchers, backed by economic interests from the pharmaceutical industry have managed to form a “consensus science” based on an assumption. The many people who take stimulant medication so they can continue their lifestyle, which might not be compatible to their personality, seem to confirm that these researchers are correct.

ADHD is controversial and would not be so if there was solid evidence that the so-called “consensus view” on ADHD was correct. There are equally qualified experts on both sides of the debate. On the one side there is money, prestige and career opportunities, while on the other side there are doctors and academics that are honestly searching for the truth.

If ADHD is a mental disorder, then the exact cause of Attention Deficit Disorder is unknown, as it is with all mental disorders. We still do not understand the brain. It is the most complex organism in the known universe.

Of the various ADHD theories, none has the full picture, but each has pieces of the puzzle. ADD and ADHD are complex if we search for one solution to one problem. However if we are looking at one individual who we know well, our child, or ourself then it is easier.

ADHD symptoms are used to diagnose the “disorder.” There are over 100 causes of ADHD. To find the solution to our difficulties with ADHD we need to find the cause and treat the cause. Many of these causes are medical.

These medical problems do not coexist with ADHD. They are not ADHD, only share symptoms, and the patient is suffering from a medically treatable illness.

It is sad when otherwise intelligent people can study for years at university or medical school, and still not understand the difference and relationship between cause, symptom and illness.

There can be many causes for a headache. The headache, which is the symptom, feels the same irrespective of the cause. The cause is often the clue to which treatment to choose.

It is the same with ADHD. The cause needs to be ascertained and treated. That is why you should find a doctor who understands the complexity of the ADHD syndrome.

Below are some of the medical reasons for some people having an ADD or ADHD type of behavior.

Medical Causes of ADHD behavior

• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This can give ADD like symptoms.

 

• Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). This can give ADHD like symptoms.

 

• Metabolic disorders causing lack of glucose to the brain. This includes early onset diabetes. The symptoms include anxiety, aggressive behavior and depression.

 

• Hypothyroidism a metabolism imbalance from an underproduction of thyroid hormones. This can give ADD like symptoms.

 

• Hyperthyroidism a metabolism imbalance from an overproduction of thyroid hormones. This can give ADHD like symptoms.

 

• Heart conditions. This has an effect of starving the brain of oxygen, glucose and other nutrients.

 

• Medication side effects. Some cough and cold over-the-counter medicines contain pseudoephedrine which can cause hyperactivity. Pain killers and asthma medication can also cause ADHD like symptoms.

 

• PANDAS. A cuddly acronym for Paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders. Result of strep or Streptococcal infections.

 

• Cushing’s disease or hypercorticism, an overproduction of cortisol. It is a hormone disorder caused by high levels of cortisol in the blood. The cure is usually by surgery as it can be caused by tumours producing cortisol. Taking ADHD stimulant drugs in this case will only do harm.

 

• Addison’s disease or hypocorticism, an underproduction of cortisol. This is a rare endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands produce insufficient cortisol, generally diagnosed by blood tests. Treatment involves hormone replacement and definitely not ADHD stimulant drugs.

The page mental health causes of ADD and ADHD is about mental health disorders. A person has ADHD type behavior (that is what ADHD symptoms are) as a result of a mental health disorder s/he can appear to have ADHD, and if misdiagnosed as ADHD may be given stimulant medication such as Ritalin. ADHD stimulant drugs are a quick fix to suppress symptoms, and are not a cure; they have to be taken daily and the effect lasts only a few hours.

Curing a mental health problem requires effort and commitment; medication by itself is only a support and not the cure. Since a number of mental health problems are diagnosed together with ADD or ADHD, disorders such as mood disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, dissociative disorder, or even personality disorder need to be assessed.

Before accepting stimulant medication, the cause of the ADHD behavior should be determined. If your doctor wants to treat the ADHD symptom before finding out the cause, you should find a doctor who understands the complexity of the ADHD syndrome.

There are some natural supplements which can help the child focus during boring and unstimulating school classes. Among these are Bright Spark with a special

BrightSpark for ADD - Buy 2, Get 1 FREE offer; and

Focus ADDult For adults and teens - with the same Buy 2, Get 1 FREE offer.

Both from Native Remedies.

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